Smoky lab results in early dismissal at James I. O'Neill High School

HIGHLAND FALLS — Students at James I. O'Neill High School were taken to local hospitals after smoke filled a science lab on the school's third floor, Orange County Emergency Services Commissioner Walt Koury said.

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By Doyle Murphy

recordonline.com

By Doyle Murphy

Posted Dec. 5, 2012 at 2:00 AM

By Doyle Murphy

Posted Dec. 5, 2012 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

HIGHLAND FALLS — Students at James I. O'Neill High School were taken to local hospitals after smoke filled a science lab on the school's third floor, Orange County Emergency Services Commissioner Walt Koury said.

About 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, emergency responders headed to O'Neill for reports of a smoky condition. Koury said 16 students were taken to three hospitals: Keller Army Community Hospital in West Point, St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital in Cornwall and Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt Manor.

The district said in a release on the school web-site that the fire department called the hazmat unit, which responded at about 11:15 a.m. At that time, the decision was made to dismiss the students for a more thorough evaluation of the building. To ensure safety, the hazmat team recommended that the district use the services of an outside contractor to conduct a final clean- up and monitoring of the building. All cleanup procedures were completed by 3 p.m.

School will be open Wednesday morning for all students and staff.

Attempts to reach O'Neill's principal and the Fort Montgomery Fire District, the primary fire department responding, for comment were unsuccessful on Tuesday.